Poster #9 - Examining Risk and Protective Factors to Preschool Victimization: The Role of Executive Functioning and Imagination

• In Event: Poster Session 08

Abstract

Introduction. Peer victimization in early childhood is associated with psychological problems and interpersonal difficulties (Storch & Ledley, 2005) and is related to anxiety symptoms in adulthood (Gladstone et al., 2006). For this purpose, the present study explored child and classroom level factors predicting peer treatment. Specifically, how might cognitive skills related to self-control, such as executive functioning (EF) and imagination, relate to teacher reports of peer treatment? Prior research on EF and victimization found that victims had lower cognitive abilities and difficulties in EF (Medeiros et al., 2016). Conversely, past research found that teachers report higher levels of received peer victimization for imaginative children than for peers (Gilpin & DeCaro, 2018). Thus, EF may serve as a protective factor to victimization, while children high in imagination may have more opportunities in play episodes to act out peer dynamics such as victimization.

Hypotheses. We hypothesized that child-level EF would negatively predict victimization and positively predict the reception of prosocial behaviors. In contrast, we hypothesized that imagination would positively predict both victimization and the reception of prosocial behaviors. At the classroom-level, we hypothesized that the EF trends would mirror the effects found at the child-level. We posited different associations for imagination at the classroom-level, such that higher imagination classrooms would experience lower levels of victimization and higher levels of prosociality. We also conducted exploratory analyses on the interaction of EF and imagination on the prediction of peer treatment at both levels.

Methods. Participants were 138 children aged 36 to 67 months (M = 48; 47% male, 53% female), nested within nineteen classrooms. Teachers reported on children’s EF, imagination, and peer treatment; see Table 1. Multilevel models with children (Level 1) nested within classrooms (Level 2) were conducted, controlling for age and gender.

Results. Child-level EF predicted lower physical (b = -.05, SE = .01, p < .01) and relational victimization (b = -.05, SE = .01, p < .01) and higher reception of prosocial behaviors (b = .03, SE = .01, p = .01). Higher EF classrooms reported significantly lower levels of relational victimization (b = -.06, SE = .02, p = .02) and higher levels of prosociality (b = .08, SE = .02, p < .01). Findings for imagination were null at the child-level; however, higher imagination classrooms reported significantly higher prosociality (b = 2.11, SE = .97, p < .05). There was also a significant interaction of EF and imagination in the prediction of physical victimization at the child-level (b = -.03, SE = .01, p < .01), though not at the classroom-level. As shown in Figure 1, for children with low levels of EF and high levels of imagination, teachers report higher levels of physical victimization.

Significance. This study adds to a growing literature on preschool victimization, EF, and imagination. Our findings suggest that EF and imaginative play may be important factors to consider when investigating preschool victimization and peer treatment.

Authors

• Lindsey Held, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
  Presenting Author

• Ansley Gilpin, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

• Summer S Braun, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa